Before COVID-19 and ubiquitous work-from-home, we used to have meetings in a room where people would sit around and discuss the matter at hand. The start time had some flexibility because people had to physically move from one location to another, often between floors or buildings. Whiteboards helped focus the conversation. People could interject organically without having to raise a hand like in grade school.
Unplanned conversations in the office were common and often more productive than a formal meeting. I recall bouncing problems and ideas off people from other teams while waiting for the kettle to boil, and they’d offer thoughts based on their experience. The cross-polination provided valuable perspective.
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